According to sources at Variety, legendary director Steven Spielberg has decided to step away as director for the currently-untitled fifth Indiana Jones film. James Mangold is reportedly being eyed as Spielberg’s replacement on the project. If the name James Mangold rings a recent familiar bell with Star Wars fans, it’s because his name was attached to the rumored Boba Fett standalone film that is no longer officially in development.
After a long development process, Steven Spielberg is handing the directing reins on “Indiana Jones 5” to another filmmaker for the first time in the franchise’s 39 year history, Variety has learned.
Sources say that while a deal hasn’t closed, “Ford v Ferrari” director James Mangold is in talks to take the job. Mangold has been put in this situation before when he took over the “Wolverine” franchise; 2017’s “Logan” was a blockbuster, grossing $619 million globally, and earned Mangold an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay.
Spielberg will remain as a hands-on producer on “Indy 5.” According to a source close to the filmmaker, the decision to leave the director’s chair was entirely Spielberg’s, in a desire to pass along Indy’s whip to a new generation to bring their perspective to the story.
The good news in all this? Lead actor Harrison Ford remains attached to the project.
And we can probably safely assume that filming on Indy 5 will not be starting in a few months from now as stated by Ford earlier as a result of this director change. It also remains to be seen if the film will still arrive in theaters next year on its stated July 9, 2021 date.
